CNN’s Harry Enten reported a dramatic decline in public confidence in higher education over the past decade, noting that “most Americans” now share President Donald Trump’s concerns about the state of the system. Enten highlighted new polling data showing that widespread perceptions of liberal bias are contributing significantly to the credibility crisis facing colleges and universities.
In a Thursday appearance with Kate Bolduan, Enten explained that the share of Americans expressing strong confidence in higher education has dropped sharply—from 57% in 2015 to just 36% as of last year—and the decline isn’t limited to Republicans.
“That number has plummeted, plummeted as of last year, down to 36%. We’re talking about a 36-point drop among Republicans specifically,” he said. “Get this: 68% of Americans said that higher education was on the wrong track.”
Enten added that while “it’s a question of whether or not people agree with Trump’s tactics,” it is still the case that they “definitely agree with him on the idea that there is a problem with higher ed overall.”
When asked about perceived ideological bias, Enten pointed to survey data showing that 45% of Americans overall—and 67% of Republicans—believe colleges and universities are too politically left-leaning.
“What we see in polling after polling after polling is that the plurality says, yes, overall, look at that. Forty-five percent of Americans overall agree with the idea that colleges have a liberal bias. Just 24% disagree with that idea,” he said.
PLAY:
A lot of Americans agree with Trump: higher ed needs a kick in the rear end. Those with high confidence in higher ed has collapsed: 57% in 2015 to 36% now. 68% (!) say higher ed is on the wrong track.
Also, a plurality of Americans & the GOP agree: colleges have a liberal bias. pic.twitter.com/JZtup3BoGV
— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) May 29, 2025
Enten also posted a summary of the findings on X Wednesday, reiterating that Americans “agree with Trump” in believing there is a serious issue with colleges and universities in the United States.
“This is why Donald Trump is so emphatic and so wanting to take on this fight, because he knows that Republicans hate universities, hate the administrations, believe they have a liberal bias,” Enten concluded on CNN’s News Central Thursday. “And in fact the plurality of Americans overall agree with the idea, agree with Donald Trump, that colleges are in fact a place where bias reigns.”
